Agricultural fertilizers with montmorillonite clays

ABSTRACT

An agricultural or horticultural fertilizer featuring processed montmorillonite clay and other ingredients for improving plant growth and health. The organic components of a basic, dry, composition of the fertilizer composition include  Aloe vera , gum Arabic, and Montmorillonite clay. The fertilizer composition may be prepared and used as a dry blended powder, or the dry powder mixed with water to compose a liquid fertilizer blend. Agar may be added to compose a liquid mineral fertilizer root dip solution. Liquid fertilizers for use in drip irrigation may comprise potash in an aqueous blend, as well as citric acid and humate.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 63/002,472 entitled “Agricultural Fertilizers withMontmorillonite Clays,” filed on 31 Mar. 2020, the entire disclosure ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to agricultural fertilizers, particularly toorganic fertilizers, and specifically to a fertilizer includingmontmorillonite mineral.

Background Art

The use of soil amendments and fertilizers is long and widely known inagriculture. Naturally generated or “organic” fertilizers for centurieshave included animal manures and ordinarily created biomass and naturalwastes or byproducts, such as kitchen offal. Simply described, naturalfertilizers are organic products that have been extracted from livingthings or from the earth, and can be either plant-derived oranimal-derived. Typical modern examples in agricultural and gardeninguse are mushroom manure, blood meal, bone meal, cottonseed meal, kelpmeal, poultry or horse manure (aged), and compost.

Also known in the modern era are synthetic fertilizers, those generatedusing chemical manufacturing processes. Synthetic fertilizers areusually composed of the synthesized chemicals of nitrogen (N),phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). In general, natural fertilizerscontain lesser amounts of N—P—K than their synthesized counterparts, sothe farmer/gardener usually must use more of them to supply the plantwith the required amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium. However,because natural fertilizers add vital organic matter, they may alsoimprove soil texture.

Inorganic “mineral fertilizers” are used to improve agricultural yields.In mineral fertilizers, the nutrients are inorganic salts, obtained byextraction and/or physical and chemical processes. As with organicfertilizers, the three primary plant nutrients again are nitrogen,phosphorus, and potassium. Mineral fertilizers are chemically processedto meet crop requirements and can supply plant nutrients in exact,scientifically formulated quantities. Mineral fertilizers are generallycost effective, but ideally should be used together with organicfertilizers which improve soil structure and the soils water holdingcapacity.

Against the foregoing background, the present fertilizer compositionswere developed to provide some of the advantages of both organic andinorganic types of fertilizers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There are disclosed herein an agricultural or horticultural fertilizerfeaturing processed montmorillonite clay and other ingredients forimproving plant growth and health. The organic components of a basic,dry, composition of the inventive fertilizer include Aloe vera, gumArabic, and Montmorillonite clay. A broadly characterized more preferredembodiment of a fertilizer composition according to the presentapplication is comprised of the following ingredients: (a) a fineMontmorillonite powder (a soft phyllosilicate mineral), (b) aloe powder(from plant genus Aloe, preferably species vera), and (c) Acacia gum(i.e., gum Arabic). In dry powder form, the basic invention may comprisebetween 83 and 87 (preferably about 85) weight percent Montmorillonite,between 4 and 6 (preferably about 6) weight percent Aloe, and 9 to 11(preferably about 9) weight percent Acacia gum. Formulated as a liquid,a basic embodiment of the invention is 76 to 83 (preferably about 80)weight percent water, between 9 and 11 (preferably about 10) weightpercent Montmorillonite, 4 to 7 (preferably 6) weight percent Aloe, and4 to 6 (preferably 4) weight percent Acacia gum Other, particularizedformulations, and alternative embodiments, are disclosed hereafter; thissummary is not intended to be limiting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, (INCLUDING THE BEST MODE FOR PRACTICINGTHE INVENTION)

While the invention will be described in connection with the preferredembodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit theinvention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to coverall alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be includedwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims. compositions of the present disclosure will now be describedmore fully hereinafter. The fertilizer of the present disclosure may bein many different forms and should not be construed as limited to thetabulated embodiments set forth herein, rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and willfully convey its scope to those skilled in the art.

There are disclosed formulations of beneficial agricultural fertilizercompositions including Montmorillonite clay and other naturalingredients to promote healthy plant growth and to reduce the need forsynthetic pesticides. It has been determined that particularcombinations of Montmorillonite with aloe powder and Acacia gum resultin a fertilizer composition beneficial to plant growth for eitherhorticultural or agricultural applications. The mineral fertilizerstimulates beneficial microorganisms in the soil, as well as improvingthe structure of the soil. Soil microbes play an important role inconverting organic fertilizers into soluble nutrients that can beabsorbed by plants. The organic mineral fertilizers providemicronutrients plants use, and without replacing these nutrients theplants deplete the soil and weaken.

“Montmorillonite” is a group of clay minerals varieties that swell inwater and exhibit high cation-exchange capacities. A basic formula forMontmorillonite (that is, without structural substitutions) is(OH)₄Si₈Al₄O₂₀.nH₂O. Montmorillonite minerals are products of volcanismand hydrothermal activity. Montmorillonites are composed of hydrousaluminum silicates in the form of extremely small particles which takeup water between their layers. This water absorption causes swelling,and changes the interlayer spacing (according to the mineral variety).In addition to being involved in inorganic exchange reactions, theyreact with and absorb some organic liquids, such as amines, glycols,glycerols, and other polyhydric alcohols. While the incorporation ofMontmorillonites into agricultural fertilizers is previously known,these minerals are more commonly used as bleaching earths for clarifyingwater, juices, and liquors, as well as for removing color from mineraland vegetable oils. Montmorillonites also are used in petroleum refiningprocesses. In the present invention, this natural accruing mineral ismixed with other ingredients to produce a fertilizer that not onlyincreases a plant's yield, but also promotes a natural ability of theplant to resist disease and pests. Montmorillonite powders employedherein may be milled if necessary to obtain requisite fineness.

Gum arabic, also often called acacia gum or acacia powder, and sometimesother names, is a fibrous product made from the natural hardened sap oftwo types of wild Acacia trees which grow in Africa. Hereinafter, forthe sake of simplicity this substance will usually be referred tohereinafter as “acacia” or “acacia gum” The most commonly used type oftree is Acacia senegal (L.), a tree in the Legwninosae (Fabaceae) plantfamily. Vachiellia (Acacia) is another species that produces a dried gumfrom its trunk and branches, and used to formulate acacia gums. Acaciagum is made of a mixture of glycoproteins, which have carbohydrategroups attached to the polypeptide chain, and of polysaccharides, acarbohydrate whose molecules consist of a number of sugar moleculesbonded together. It also includes oligosaccharides, another type ofcarbohydrate. Additionally, gums collected from acacia trees are asource of natural sugar compounds called arabinose and ribose. The exactchemical composition of gum arabic varies, depending on its source andthe climate/soil conditions in which it was grown. The source and exacttype of acacia gum is not presently believed to be significant to theutility of the present invention, but acacia gum is a beneficialingredient of this fertilizer.

Aloe vera (hereinafter often shortened to “aloe”) is a stemless or veryshort-stemmed plant with thick and fleshy, green to grey-green leaves,with some varieties showing white flecks on their upper and lower stemsurfaces. Aloe vera forms arbuscular mycorrhiza, a symbiosis that allowsthe plant better access to mineral nutrients in soil. Aloe vera leavescontain phytochemicals which may manifest possible beneficialbioactivity, such as acetylated mannans, polymannans, anthraquinoneC-glycosides, anthrones, and other anthraquinones, such as emodin andvarious lectins. The incorporation of Aloe into the composition of theinvention extends the benefit that plants treated with the compositionhave better uptake and absorption into their roots of desirablenutrients.

The presently disclosed fertilizers are composed of combinations ofingredients including (but strictly limited to) Montmorillonite, acaciagum, and aloe. It has been determined that inventive formulations thatinclude these compositions result in effective fertilizers for improvingagricultural yields. The fertilizer may be an admixture to a pottingsoil, or applied on and in the soil adjacent growing plants, and certainembodiments may be used as root dips.

A preferred embodiment of a fertilizer composition according to thepresent disclosure is comprised of the following ingredients: a fineMontmorillonite powder (a soft phyllosilicate mineral); aloe powder(from plant genus Aloe, preferably species vera); and acacia gum (i.e.,gum Arabic). As described in additional detail herein, the fertilizermay be provided in dry powder form, or alternatively may be formulatedin an aqueous liquid. A basic dry powder formulation may comprise about85 weight percent Montmorillonite, about 6 weight percent Aloe, andabout 9 weight percent Acacia gum. Composed as a liquid, the inventionmay be about 80 weight percent water, about 10 weight percentMontmorillonite, about 6 weight percent Aloe, and about 4 weight percentAcacia gum.

For use in the present fertilizers, the Montmorillonite is acquired froma suitable source, such as is available through RAAK Minerals, LLC, P.O.Box 2274 Hawthorne Nev. 89415. The Montmorillonite preferably is milledin a hammer mill so to pass a −200 (minus two hundred) mesh screen,i.e., all particles smaller than 200-mesh pass through (Mesh 0.074millimeter.) Mineral batches (e.g., 1,000 pound batches) preferably areleached with pure citric acid. Acidity levels should be controlled;accordingly, potash preferably is then admixed to the milled mineral toobtain a pH of between about 6.8 pH and about 7.0 pH. TheMontmorillonite thus processed is then mixed mechanically by anysuitable means with the other ingredients to create the fertilizercomposition. It has been determined that the Montmorillonite promotesbeneficial growth of the plants, as well as reducing incidence of pestsand disease.

Also, Aloe vera as an ingredient of the present fertilizer, preferablyis included as an extracted organic part (i.e., Aloe vera gel), and/oras concentrated raw material (i.e., concentrated/unfiltered Aloe verajuice). The organic part is preferred as it is believed responsible forproviding beneficial polysaccharides and phytochemicals to the plants,but concentrated raw material can be used to along with the gel toameliorate pest attack.

Acacia gum in the proportions disclosed functions as, among otherthings, a granulating and/or binding agent, and promotes emulsificationin aqueous solutions of the invention.

The formulations of the present invention, as set forth herein, havebeen determined after experimentation to provide unexpected enhancementof horticultural yields and growth for, example, medicinal Cannabissativa.

A basic dry fertilizer composition according to the present disclosurecomprises three dry ingredients, namely montmorillonite, aloe, andacacia. When presented as a dry power blend, the components preferablyare mixed to be comprised of, on a weight percent basis, between 83% and87% milled montmorillonite, between 4% and 6% aloe powder (100×), andthe remainder between 9% and 11% acacia gum. Aloe vera powder 100×starts as aloe gel that is mechanically separated (e.g., to remove pulpand fiber) from the leaves of the aloe plant, processed from the innerfillet of the aloe leaf. Care is taken to minimize disruption of theAloin layer. The gel has a thick consistency, but after a few minutes,an enzymatic reaction occurs, and the product becomes a liquid. (Thealoe powder 100× product may then freeze dried to preserve itsphytonutrients and active compounds.)

It has been determined that one preferred mineral fertilizer dry blend(1 kg example) may be mixed according to the following Table 1:

TABLE 1 Mineral Fertilizer Blend Dry WEIGHT ITEM % PER Weight # UNITGRAMS INGREDIENT KG 1  85.0%  850.0 Milled Montmorillonite 0.850 2  6.0%   60.6 Aloe Powder 100x 6.060 3   9.0%   90.0 Acacia Gum 0.090100%   1000.0 Total Gross Wt. 1.000

By way of illustrative example, one pound (1.0 lbs.) of fertilizer blenddry is prepared by dry mixing 13.60 ounces (85% by weight) milledmontmorillonite, 0.96 ounces (6% by weight) aloe powder, and 1.44 ounces(9% by weight) acacia gum. Batches may be prepared by scaling theingredient amounts according to these ratios.

A person skilled in the art notes that the dry blend may be mixed inappropriate concentration with water to provide a composition suitablefor dispersal or application as an aqueous liquid or spray.

The fertilizer composition may be specially prepared initially, and thenapplied, as an aqueous solution. The liquid solution it can be addeddirectly to the normal watering schedule, in both agricultural andhorticultural contexts.

A liquid blend embodiment of the fertilizer composition preferably ismixed to be comprised of, on a weight percent basis, between 9% and 11%montmorillonite, between 4% and 7% aloe liquid (1×), between 4% and 6%acacia gum, and the remainder between 76% and 83% water. Aloe liquid(1×) is single-strength Aloe vera, and may be reconstituted fromconcentrated (200×) spray-dried powder.

A preferred embodiment of a mineral fertilizer blend liquid (1 kgexample) was determined to be that set forth in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Mineral Fertilizer Blend Liquid WEIGHT ITEM % PER Weight # UNITGRAMS INGREDIENT KG 1 80.00% 800.0 Water 0.800 2 10.00% 100.0 MilledMontmorillonite 0.100 3  6.00% 60.0 Aloe Liquid 1x 0.060 4  4.00% 40.0Acacia Gum 0.040   100% 1000.0 Total Gross Wt 1.000

By way of illustrative example, approximately one U.S. gallon of mineralfertilizer blend liquid may be prepared by mixing 3.78 kilograms water,0.48 kilograms milled montmorillonite, 0.28 kilograms aloe liquid, and0.19 kilograms acacia gum, for about one gallon of solution weighingapproximately 4.73 kilograms. Larger batches (e.g., 100 gallons) may beprepared by scaling the ingredient amounts according to these ratios.

As mentioned previously, a fertilizer composition according to thepresent disclosure also may be formulated for use as a root dip. In theroot dip embodiment, the composition improves the ability of youngplants to withstand transplant shock, protects bare roots duringplanting, and starts feeding the plant right away. The formulation for aroot dip includes agar as an ingredient, to provide some viscosity orbody to the composition to promote clinging or adhesion to the roots.

Formulated as a liquid root dip, a fertilizer composition according tothe present disclosure preferably comprises, by weight percent, between9% and 10% montmorillonite, between 4% and 6% aloe liquid, between 3%and 5% acacia, between 4% and 5% agar, and the balance between 74% and80% water.

A most preferred embodiment of a liquid root dip blend (1 kg example) ofthe present invention is provided in Table 3:

TABLE 3 Mineral Fertilizer Blend Concentrate Liquid Root Dip WEIGHT ITEMPER Weight # UNIT GRAMS INGREDIENT KG 1  76.2%  762.0 Water 0.762 2  9.5%   95.2 Milled Montmorillonite 0.095 3   6.0%   60.0 Aloe 0.060 4  3.5%   35.2 Acacia Gum 0.035 5   4.8%   47.6 Agar 0.048 100.0% 1000.0Total Gross Wt. 1.000

By way of illustrative example, approximately one U.S. gallon of mineralfertilizer blend liquid root dip may be prepared by mixing 3.78kilograms water, 0.48 kilograms milled montmorillonite, 0.28 kilogramsaloe liquid, 0.17 kilograms acacia gum, and 0.24 kilograms agar, for agallon solution weighing approximately 4.95 kilograms. Larger batches(e.g., 100 gallons) may be prepared by scaling the ingredient amountsaccording to these ratios.

An alternative composition according to the present inventions may beformulated as a colloidal liquid, non-plugging, organic mineralfertilizer, for increasing yields and reducing pesticide use, forparticularized application by drip system irrigation. Gum Arabic isomitted from the non-clogging formulation s for use in drip irrigation,and potash powder (potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, or potassiumsulfate) is added. Application of the fertilizer is simplified by usingan existing drip system. Advantageously, montmorillonite minerals in acolloidal state have a higher bioavailability to the plant and soilmicroorganisms. The composition preferably is mixed as a concentrate,for later dilution by a factor of about 100, prior to use. Aconcentrated mineral fertilizer blend composition for use in dripirrigation according to this disclosure preferably comprises between 11%and 13% milled montmorillonite, between 5% and 10% citric acid, between4% and 7% Aloe vera liquid, between 0.5% and 1.0% potash, and theremainder between 69% and 79.5% water. A preferred embodiment of such amineral fertilizer (1 kg example) for a drip irrigation system is setforth in Table 4 below.

TABLE 4 Mineral Fertilizer Blend Concentrate Liquid for Use in DripIrrigation WEIGHT ITEM % PER Weight # UNIT GRAMS INGREDIENT KG 1  76.00% 760.0 Water 0.76 2  12.00%  120.0 Milled Montmorillonite 0.12 3   5.00%  50.0 Citric Acid 0.05 4   6.00%   60.0 Aloe Vera Liquid 0.06 5   1.00%  10.0 Pot Ash 0.01 100%    1000.0 Total Gross Wt.  1.000

This montmorillonite mineral fertilizer blend liquid for use in dripirrigation is prepared in a two-step process. The first step involvesthe preparation of a mineral “tea” or solution, which solution in asecond step is mixed kith other ingredients. In the first step, themilled montmorillonite mineral is mixed with the water and the citricacid, and then blended or mixed over an extended period of timesufficient for the citric acid to leach the montmorillonite intosolution (leaving a residue composed mostly of silicates). The solutionis filtered to remove the solid residue, and the filtered solution isthen mixed with the Aloe vera and the potash.

By way of illustrative example, approximately one U.S. gallon of mineralfertilizer blend liquid for use in drip irrigation may be prepared bymixing 3.78 kilograms water, 0.60 kilograms milled montmorillonite, and0.25 kilograms citric acid. The mineral is leached out and the silicaresidue removed. The resulting solution is then mixed with 0.30kilograms aloe liquid and 0.05 kilograms potash to yield a gallon ofconcentrated solution weighing approximately 4.98 kilograms. Prior touse, such a concentrate preferably is mixed with water in a ratio ofbetween 1:95 and 1:105 to dilute for application via drip irrigation.

The foregoing fertilizer stimulates beneficial microorganisms andimproves the structure of the soil. The growth of soil microbes, whichplay an important role in converting organic fertilizers into solublenutrients that can be absorbed by plants, is promoted.

An alternative embodiment of the non-plugging fertilizer composition foruse in drip irrigation systems includes both humate and montmorillonitemineral, leached using citric acid. “Humate” is a salt of humic acid,and is known for use as a beneficial ingredient for fertilizers. Humateis a mined mineral in the nature of an early stage in the development ofcoal from organic matter, and is rich in humic and fulvic acids, whichare active components of soil humus (hence the name “humate”). Humate ina humic acid form remediates the soil and reduces the time required todecompose and provide nutrients to microorganisms in the soil. Humicacid is a combination of organic substances created as a result of thedecomposition of plant and animal tissues that have been compressed overmillions of years in the earth's soil. Humates occur in all soils,waters, and sediments that build up within the earth. In their mostbasic form, humates are a black, coal-like powder substance mined fromthe earth. Their size, molecular weight, elemental composition,structure, and the number and population of functional groups vary,depending on the origin and age of the material. Humate in all thecompositions according to this disclosure is milled to pass a −200(minus two hundred) mesh screen.

In the humate-montmorillonite formulation, the methods of converting dryminerals to a colloid and humate to humic acid can very as long as themineral profile and pH are correctly maintained in range. Both themineral montmorillonite and the humate should be leached. A smallquantity of citric acid is included. The leaching process can be doneseparately for the montmorillonite and the humate, and the leachatesolutions then mixed together, or montmorillonite and humate can beleached together. A montmorillonite-humate fertilizer blend compositionaccording to the present disclosure preferably comprises, by weightpercent, between 5% and 6% humate, between 5% and 6% montmorillonite,between 5.5% and 6.5% Aloe vera liquid, between 0.5% and 1% potash,between 0.5% and 1% citric acid, and the remainder between 79.5% and83.5% water. Table 5 below provides a preferred formulation for amontmorillonite-humate fertilizer composition (1 kg example) for use indrip irrigation systems.

TABLE 5 Mineral-Humate Fertilizer Blend concentrate Liquid for Use inDrip Irrigation WEIGHT ITEM % PER Weight # UNIT GRAMS INGREDIENT KG 1 80.40%  804.00 Water 0.804 2   5.88%   58.80 Humate 0.059 3   5.68%  58.80 Milled Montmorillonite 0.059 4   0.92%    9.20 Pot Ash 0.009 5  0.92%    9.20 Citric Acid 0.009 6   6.00%   60.00 Aloe liquid 0.080100.00% 1000.00 Total Gross Wt. 1.000

As with the montmorillonite mineral fertilizer blend liquid for use indrip irrigation, the montmorillonite-humate fertilizer blend liquid foruse in drip irrigation is prepared in a two-step process. The first stepinvolves the preparation of a montmorillonite mineral-humate solution,which solution in a second step is mixed with other ingredients. In thefirst step, the montmorillonite and the humate are mixed with the waterand the citric acid, and then blended or mixed over an extended periodof time sufficient for the citric acid to leach the montmorillonite andhumate into solution (leaving a mineral residue composed mostly ofsilicates). The solution is filtered to remove solid mineral residue,and the filtered solution is then mixed with the Aloe vera and thepotash.

By way of illustrative example, approximately one U.S. gallon ofmontmorillonite-humate fertilizer blend liquid for use in dripirrigation may be prepared by mixing 3.78 kilograms water, 0.28kilograms milled montmorillonite, 0.28 milled humate and 0.04 kilogramscitric acid. The mineral is leached out and the silica residue removed.The resulting solution is then mixed with 0.28 kilograms aloe liquid and0.04 kilograms potash to yield a gallon of concentrated solutionweighing approximately 4.70 kilograms. Prior to use, such a concentratepreferably is mixed with water in a ratio of between 1:95 and 1:105 todilute for application via drip irrigation.

An alternative embodiment of the non-plugging fertilizer composition foruse in drip irrigation systems includes humate, without montmorillonite,also leached using citric acid.

A humate fertilizer blend composition according to the presentdisclosure preferably comprises, by weight percent, between 10% and 12%humate, between 5.5% and 6.5% Aloe vera liquid, between 0.5% and 1%potash, between 0.5% and 1% citric acid, and the remainder between 79.5%and 83.5% water. Table 6 below provides a preferred formulation for a 1kg unit of humate fertilizer composition for use in drip irrigationsystems.

TABLE 6 Humate Fertilizer Blend Concentrate Liquid for Use in DripIrrigation WEIGHT ITEM % PER Weight # UNIT GRAMS INGREDIENT KG 1  80.40% 804.0 Water 0.804 2  11.76%  117.6 Humate 0.118 3   0.92%    9.2 PotAsh 0.009 4   0.92%    9.2 Citric Acid 0.009 5   6.00%   60.0 Aloeliquid 0.060 100.00% 1000.00 Total Gross Wt. 1.000

Again, the humate-only fertilizer blend liquid for use in dripirrigation is prepared in the two-step process. The first step involvesthe preparation of the humate solution, which solution in a second stepis mixed with the other ingredients. In the first step, the milledhumate is mixed with the water and the citric acid, and then furtherblended or mixed over an extended period of time sufficient for thecitric acid to leach the humate into solution. The solution is filteredif necessary to remove any large solids, then mixed with the Aloe veraand the potash.

By way of illustrative example, approximately one U.S. gallon of mineralfertilizer blend liquid for use in drip irrigation may be prepared bymixing 3.78 kilograms water, 0.56 kilograms milled humate, and 0.04kilograms citric acid. The humate is leached into solution. Theresulting solution is then mixed with 0.28 kilograms aloe liquid and0.04 kilograms potash to yield a gallon of concentrated solutionweighing approximately 4.70 kilograms. Prior to use, such a concentratepreferably is mixed with water in a ratio of between 1:95 and 1:105 todilute for application via drip irrigation.

In the forgoing tables, ingredients are listed by weight percent for a1.0 kg exemplar sample. In all the forgoing tabulations, the percentagesprovided are optimums ascertained as a result of experimental researchand/or calculation. A person of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that modest deviations from the optimum, for any listedingredient, are possible without significantly affecting the utility ofthe invention. Thus, a range of percentages is available for eachindividual component in each formulated embodiment. Suitable ranges are:For each ingredient listed as a double-digit weight percentage (i.e.,10% to 99%) a range may be ±5%; for each ingredient listed as asingle-digit weight percentage (i.e., 1% to 9%) a range may be ±0.5%;For each ingredient listed as less than one weight percent (i.e., 1.0%)a range may be ±0.05%.

The use and application of the fertilizer compositions described hereinhave been shown to increase plant growth and vitality. For example, inthe cases of the “Mineral Fertilizer Blend Dry,” “Mineral FertilizerBlend Liquid,” and “Mineral Fertilizer Blend Concentrate Liquid RootDip” embodiments, time to harvest may be three weeks earlier than whenconventional fertilizer is used. In experimental applications onCannabis sativa plants, the plant THC and CBD concentrations wereincreased of 3% to 7%.

Although the invention has been described in detail with particularreference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achievethe same results. In the previous description, specific details are setforth, such as specific materials, structures, chemicals, processes,etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the presentinvention. However, as one having ordinary skill in the art wouldrecognize, the present invention can be practiced without resorting tothe details specifically set forth. In other instances, well knownprinciples of mathematics and physics have not been described in detail,in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

Only some embodiments of the invention and but a few examples of itsversatility are described in the present disclosure. It is understoodthat the invention is capable of use in various other combinations andis capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventiveconcept as expressed herein. Modifications of the invention will beobvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in theappended claims all such modifications and equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plant fertilizer composition comprising aliquid mixture comprising: montmorillonite in weight percent between 9%and 11%; aloe liquid in weight percent between 4% and 7%; acacia gum inweight percent between 4% and 6%; and a remainder of water between 76%and 83% weight percent.
 2. The composition according to claim 1 furthercomprising agar in weight percent between 4% and 5%, and:montmorillonite in weight percent between 9% and 10%; aloe liquid inweight percent between 4% and 6%; acacia gum in weight percent between3% and 5%; and a remainder of water between 74% and 80%.
 3. Thecomposition according to claim 2 comprising: montmorillonite 9.5% byweight; aloe liquid 6.0% by weight; acacia gum 3.5% by weight; agar 4.8%by weight; and water 76.2% by weight.
 4. The composition according toclaim 1 comprising: montmorillonite 10% by weight; aloe liquid 6% byweight; acacia gum 4% by weight; and water 80% by weight.
 5. Thecomposition according to claim 1 wherein the montmorillonite is sourcedfrom RAAK Minerals, LLC, of Hawthorne, Nev.
 6. A plant fertilizercomposition comprising a mixture of: Aloe vera powder 100× in weightpercent between 4% and 6%; acacia gum in weight percent between 9% and11%; and milled and citric-acid-leached montmorillonite in weightpercent between 83% and 87%; wherein the montmorillonite is milled topass a 200 mesh, and is admixed with sufficient potash to obtain amontmorillonite pH of between 6.8 and
 7. 7. The composition according toclaim 6 wherein the milled montmorillonite is sourced from RAAKMinerals, LLC, of Hawthorne, Nev.
 8. A plant fertilizer compositionconsisting of: Aloe vera in weight percent between 4% and 6%; acacia gumin weight percent between 9% and 11%; and a remainder of milledmontmorillonite in weight percent between 83% and 87%.